Automatic print washer



April 21, 1931. A. w. CAPS AUTOMATIC PRIN'I' WASHER Filed Jan. 20, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ./TTZ/UM W( April 21, 1931. A. w. CAPS AUTOMATIC PRINT WASHER Filed Jan. 20, 1927 2 Shee'tS-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STA'I'ES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR W. CAIPS, 01 BDOIIES'IER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR '1O PHOTOS'IA'I. OO-RIPORATION, OF I'BDVIDENCE, BHOLDE ISLAND, A COBZPOBA'IION OF RBZODE ISLAND Application flled January 20, 1927. Serial N0. 162,258.

This invention relates to hotographie print washers and particularly to a continuous print washer. 4

An object of this inventionis to provide an improved device of the above type in wh1ch the water o r other washing liquid in the various Compartments is changed automatically fit regular intervals. Another object is to provide a devioe of the above type in wh1ch the various compartments are so arranged that the washing liquid iuotleast one compartment is always relatively unpolluted. Another object is to pro vide a device of the above type into which the washing liquid is intrbduced in a highly eflicientmanner. An-

other objeot is to provide improved means for accomplishing the above objects. Other objects will be in part obvious 01 in part pomted out hereinafter. The invention accordingly consists in the fea.tures of construction, combinations of ele ments, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the struct-ure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in whioh is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation taken substantially through the center of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation showing the perforated partition separating two 35 of the compartments;

Figure'4 is a view partly in section of the siphoning and draining means;

Fig'ure 5 is a sectional elevation of a p01 tion of the siphon means;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but t aken in a direction substantially transverse of the direction in Which the view shown in Figure 5 was haken;

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of a portion of one of the spray pipes, and

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation showing the means for holding the wooden print. supports in position in the tanks.

50 .Similar reference characters refer to simila1 parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown a metal oank 10 having an outwardly flanged upper edge portion 11 and supporting members 12. As shown, the tank rests with its bottom in contaot With the supporting members '12, but a metal o1 other frame may be provided which will support the tank by means of the flange 11. The support is preferably higher ab one end than at the other and the tank is positioned on the Support with the drain end nearest the lower end of the support in order that the bottom of the tank will slope downwardly in the direction of the drain and emptying of the tank Will be facilitated.

The tank, as shown, is divided into thre Washing compartments 13, 14, and 15 and a drain compartment 16 by means of the partitions 17 which extend between the sides and are supported on the bottom o1 the tank and ext-end upwardly a little more than half the distance from the bottom to the top 013 the tank. Each artition is provided with aplurality of holes or openings 20 adjacent the lower edge which ermit the liquid in one compartment to ow to the adjacent oompartment.

A water supply pipe 21 has vertical brauch members 22, 23 and 24 extending to the bottoms of washing compartments 13, 14 and 15 respectively, and a valve 25 for regulating the supply of water to the apparatus. Eaeh of the brauch members is provided with a valve 26 by means of which the flow of water to each individual washing compartment may be regulated. The brauch pipes are connected to horizontal pipes 27 positioned adjacent the bottoms of the compartments and extending along three sides of each compartment. The pipes 27 have vertically extending spray pipes 30 which are closed at their upper ends by'means of ordinary caps, counected thereto at the points where the said pipes extend into the corners of the compartments. The members 30 and the members 22, 23 and 24 are drilled to provide vertioal rows of small holes or perforations 31 adjacent their lower ends. The said holes am 10b ing therefrom is directed downwardly, and

When the apparat-us' is in operation the holes are so positioned that the Water from each spray pipe is directed along a line extending between a side Wall and the center of the compartment in such a manner as to foxm a vortex, as indicated at 32, which tends t0 increase tl1e Washingeffect on-the prints.

Each tank is provided with means for supporting and spacing the prints from the bottoms of the compartments. Such means, in

the embodiment shown, are wooden grids.

comprising cross members 33 and 34 and adapted t0 rest upon the pipes 27. In order to prevent floating 0f the wooden grids when the tank contains water, the grids may be provided 0n their bottom sides With the sheet lead weights 35 01' the members 36 each having one end portion attached to a cros's unember 34 and the opposite end ortion extending beneath a pipe 27.

The drain compartment 16 may be smaller than the washing compartments and it is provided with a bottom opening which is sealecl by means of a hollow casting 37 which may be soldered or otherwise tightly connected to the botcom of t-he tank. The upper portion of the casting 37 is provided with a tapered opening which communicates with the hollow interior 0f the casting 37, and an opening adapted t0 receive a pipe 01 hollow tubular member 40 forming part of the siphon device. A hollow plug 01 overflow pipe 41l1as a tapered end which is adapted to fit tightly within the tapered opening in the casting.

The member 40 is rigidly mounted in the casting 37 and has its lo-wer end terminating adjacent the upper inner Wall of the casting. The upper end 0f the pipe 40 is positioned slightly below the top ofthe partition 17 which is imrne'diately adjacent thereto. Immediately below and substantially concentric with the pipe 40 a pipe 42 of substantially the same size as pipe 40 is rigi(lly mounted within an opening. in the lower Wall of the casting and has communication with the interior thereof. Atubular 1nem ber 43 having relatively thick Walls and an inwarclly beveled end portion is mounted f01 sliding movement in the pipe 40 and carries a pipe 44 which extends downwardly through the casting and pipe 42. The 1mmber 43 fits snugly within the pipe 40 to provide an air tight conn'ection while permitting sliding adjustment ancl its frictional reton tion in its adjusted position. The members 40, 43 and 44 constitute in efiect a funnel with the me1'nbers 40 and 43 forming tl1e body and the member 44 the discharge spout. The member 42 is provided with a slip connection 45 f'or joinin'g it t0 an ordinary trap of a sewer connection.

A. hell member having a tubular ortion 46 and an end wall 47 is loosely mounted 0n the upper end of the pipe 40 in telesco ing relation therewith. The end wall 4 is spaced from the end 0f the pipe 40 and the hell is centered by Ineans of the crossed and interlocked supports 50 and 51 which are rigidly mounted in the hell. Eah of the rnembers 50 ancl 51 is provided at its 0 0- site end with extensions 52 which extemflletween the Walls of members 40 and 46. The clistance between the innermost portions of the oppositely disposed extensions 52 is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the pipe 40 in Order t0 provide for a loose fit of the hell on the'member 40. The lower *central portion of the support 50 is provided with a straight knife edge which rests on opposite sides 0f the upper end of the pipe 40 while the lower central portion of the support 51 is beveled in such a manner that the outer ends of the saicl portion are normally spaced from tl1e upper end of the pipe 40. The upper outer corners 0f the membe1s 50 and 51 are cut away as at 53 to provicle for communication between the adjacent compartments formecl by the said members.

The drain compartment 0f the apparatus is furbher provided with a drain board 54 removably supported in the upper and lower castirigs 55 and 56 attached t0 the opposite side Walls of the tank. The drain board comprises a central wooden portion having metal channel members 57 attached thereto at its opposite sides.

At the commencement of print washing operations, water is admitted to the tank by opening the valves 25 and 26. The flow of Water to each Washing compartment may be regulated by means of its associated valve 26.

In this connection it may be noted that after the valves 26 have once been set in their adjusted positions it Will n0t ordinarily be necessary t0 again disturb them, but the flow 0f water may be admitted to ancl cut ofl' from the tank by means 0f the valve 25. The flow 0f water to compzirtment 13 should be slightly greater than the flow 130 compartment 14 and the flow to compartment 14 should be slightly greater than the flow to compartment 15 to insure a slight continuous flow from 13 to 14 and 14 to 15 through apertures 20 and thus eliminate the possibility of polluted liquid flowing to the final washing tank 13. The entire tank gradually fills and tl1e water also rises in the annular space between the members 40 and 46 of the siphon, the level 0f the water in the tank before the siphon action has started being substantially the same as the level in the annular space. When the vvater rises above the top of ehe pipe 40 it overflows and ente rs the interior df the said pipe in sufficient volume to quickly fill the smaller pipe 44. The pipe 44 is sufllciently fl0ng that when a column of water has been built up the air is withdrawn from the hell thereby and a siphon is made. The entire tank is thus drained; the water passing from one compartment t0' another tl1rough the apertu res 20 provided in the partitions 17. F01 the propcr functioning und quick acti0n of the siphon it is= important that 'any possibility cf air becoming trapped in ehe uppcr portion of the hell be eliminated by thc provision 0f 1neans 0f communication between the chambcrs formecl by thc members 50 anti 51, such as the openings 53. It is also important that the lower end of th e pipe 44 should not extencl into the water in the trap into which it drains, as such a condition would prevent the operation of the siphon. The position of thc pipe 44 is adjustable as point-. ed out above to permit proper opcration of the apparatus f01 diiferent water levels in the trap and to permit regulation cf the flow 0f water through the siphon.

When the water level in thctank reaches the lower edge cf the member 46 of the hell,

vair will be drawn through the annular charmber between the members 40 und 46 and the siphon broken. The supports 50 und 51 are constructed as above described to facilitate this breaking action. The knife edge of the member 50 and the spaced portions of the member 51 permit a slight tipping 01 rocking 0f the hell on the pipe 40 which causes any break in the contact of the water'with the hell to tip the hell and further increase the size 0f the break, thereby preventing a resealing and re-establishment of the siphn. The height of the water in the tank at the breaking 0f the siphon may be varied by providing a hell having a member 46 of suitable length. Also the level at which the siphon Will start to functiou may be varied by varying the length 0f the mernbcr 40. After the siphon is broken the tank again fills with water until the siphon is once m0re established, when it is aga.in drained a-s in the first instance. The action is thus automatic and intermittent.

If, forany reason, the siphon fails t0 operate thc Water Will build up in the tank t0 the level 0f the upper edge 0f the pipe plug 41 Which should be slightly l0wer than the partition 17 when it Will flow out through the said pipe plug und the casting 37 und pipe 42 to the sewer. The tank may bc drained completely by removing the pipe plug 41 frdm its seat in the casting 37. The watcr will thus be permitted to flow through an open ing in the lowest art of the tank und through the members 3 and 42 to the sevver.

Prints t0 be washed are fi1st placecl in the compartment 15 where most of the fixing o1 other chemical is removed. The partly washed prints may then be placed in compartment 14 and subjectcd to a further Washing action anti they may bc finally treated in compartment 13 130 insure the removal 0f all of the fixing chemicals. The above procedure in washmg and the angular position cf the tank whe reby the wa.ter naturally flows toward the siphon or drain together with proper regulat1on of the flow of water to the various compartments, insure a practically pure supply of water in compartment 13 at all times. The compartments may all contain prints at the same time and they should be moved progressively from the 10W- est tank to the highest as explained above. It has been found that three washings am suflicient for most purposes und accordingly three washing compartments have been provided in the apparatuS described; however, if-ilesired a larger nufnher of compartments may be provided in series o1 several-rows of compaftments in series may be so connected as t0 be drained by a single Siphon.

When the prints have been thoroughly washed they may be taken from thc water and placed on the drain board 54 t0 permit the water to tun out. After a sufiicient number of prints hzwe been accumulated on the drain boarcl the operator may Press out any excess water by pressing bis hands against the prints 011 opposite sid es of th e board and moving them downwardly simultaneously. The board carrying the prints may then be removed and carried to the dryer and another board applied to the tank to receive additional prints. The prints from which the water has been pressed may be easily removed one by one and passed through the dryer.

From the fciregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided an apparatus which embodies the features of this invention and achieves the objects thereof, including many practical advantages. A print washer has been provided by means 0f which the prints wvhich during its operation requires but a slight amount cf attention from the operator.

As many possible embodiments may be made 0f the above invent-ion,-and as many changes might be made in the cmbodirnent above set forth, it is t0 be understood that all matter hereinbefore sei; forth 0x shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative und not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the dass described, in combination, a tank comprising a plurality 0f washing compartments anal a drain compartment, all 019 said compartments being connected in such a manner that liquid coutained in one may flow evenly to the next adjacent, means i'c'0r supporting said tank in such a manner that the bottom of thc drain compartrnent is lower than the bottoms 0f the washing compartments, means for introducing a continuous supply of liquid into each of said washing compaitments, and.a siphon extending into said drain compartment to a level below that of the washing compartments und adapted to automatically function to maintain the height of the liquid in said washing compartme1lts between two predetermined levels.

2. A hotographie print washing device compris1ng, in combination, a plurality of liquid compartments, means connecting said compart-ments each other so tha.t li uid may flow from one compartment to anot er, liquid introducing means creating a separate rotary liquid current in euch of a. plurality of said compartments, und draina e means associated with one 00m artment or wit-hdrawing liquid from all 0 the c0mpartments.

ARTHUR W. CAPS. 

